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The Supreme Court on Monday put gay marriage on hold in Utah, giving the state time to appeal a federal judge's ruling against Utah's same-sex marriage ban.

The court issued a brief order Monday blocking any new same-sex unions in the state. The ruling comes after a Dec. 20 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby that the state's ban on same-sex marriage violates gay and lesbian couples' constitutional rights.

The decision, in one of the country's most conservative states, touched off a flurry of court filings as some jurisdictions started issuing marriage licenses.

More than 900 gay and lesbian couples have married since the Dec. 20 ruling.

The high court order will remain in effect until the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides whether to uphold Shelby's ruling.

In another filing on Monday, the state of Utah argued that Shelby's "unlawful injunction" interferes with the state's enforcement of its own laws.

The state's request to the Supreme Court was filed with Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles emergency appeals from Utah and the five other states in the 10th Circuit. Sotomayor turned the matter over to the entire court.

The action now shifts to Denver, where the appeals court will consider arguments from the state against same-sex marriage as well as from the three gay and lesbian couples who challenged the ban in support of Shelby's ruling. The appeals court had twice rebuffed the state's plea to stop gay weddings pending appeal.

Utah changed its constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage in 2004.

Nearly two-thirds of Utah's 2.8 million residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mormons dominate the state's legal and political circles. The Mormon church was one of the leading forces behind California's short-lived ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8.

Washington, D.C., January 6, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a shock to homosexual activists, the Supreme Court halted all same-sex “marriages” in Utah on Monday morning.

The state began handing out marriage licenses to same-sex couples last month after Judge Robert Shelby's ruling that Utah's voter-approved constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman violates the U.S. Constitution. However, last week, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes asked the Supreme Court to “stay” Judge Shelby's decision until the state's appeal makes its way through the courts.

In the request for stay, Reyes argued that a stay is consistent with the Supreme Court's decision in Windsor v. United States, which overturned a key portion of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, that marriage should be a state, and not a federal issue. According to Reyes, Shelby's decision was an “an outright abrogation” of state rights, because “a single federal court [is] wielding a federal injunction and acting under the banner of the federal Constitution.”

Reyes also pointed out that the marriage licenses granted to same-sex couples could eventually be invalidated if Shelby's decision is later overturned, and that same-sex couples in Utah would “likely suffer...financial losses” if this occurred

Actually, the Mormons did donate quite a bit of money. Later, during the court fight against the will of the people of California, the GLBT activists wanted all the names and addresses of the people who had donated to pass Prop 8. Vindictive and personal.

Actually, the Mormons did donate quite a bit of money. Later, during the court fight against the will of the people of California, the GLBT activists wanted all the names and addresses of the people who had donated to pass Prop 8. Vindictive and personal.

Are you saying that the LSD's didn't have the courage of their convictions?

Reyes also pointed out that the marriage licenses granted to same-sex couples could eventually be invalidated if Shelby's decision is later overturned, and that same-sex couples in Utah would “likely suffer...financial losses” if this occurred

I don't think they should have to suffer financially. It was the law at the time.

I don't think they should have to suffer financially. It was the law at the time.

I don't think there will be too many financial problems. The reason the activists have them "marry" right away is to create a class of people who will be hurt if the legal decision is overturned. It's a form of blackmail. States need to learn how to help these people untangle things once the law reverts; a temporary infusion of cash should help.

I don't think there will be too many financial problems. The reason the activists have them "marry" right away is to create a class of people who will be hurt if the legal decision is overturned. It's a form of blackmail. States need to learn how to help these people untangle things once the law reverts; a temporary infusion of cash should help.

Just out of curiosity, when the ussc rules that all states have to license marriages including same sex couples, how long do you plan on childishly putting marriage in quotes?